Has Traditional TV Dropped the Ball on eSports? (Guest Blog)
Linear television companies are scrambling to capture eSports viewership, as fans of the medium increasingly watch events online
[...] let’s take a look at what traditional linear TV (where the viewer has to watch a scheduled TV program at a particular time) is doing to offer live gaming viewing and win some of those consumers.
In the mid-2000s, a number of leagues, such as the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) and Major League Gaming (MLG), struck deals with pay-TV networks to air a limited set of specials and episodes showcasing finals.
[...] the CPL ultimately disappeared due to non-payment of prizes, and MLG moved away from carriage on USA and G4 toward online streaming platforms.
[...] online streaming services like Twitch have boomed, with a format that better fits the genre.
With the boom, advertisers are looking to eSports to reach millennial consumers who are increasingly digital and abandoning traditional TV platforms.
Cable, telecom and satellite companies are also entering the space, albeit more tentatively.
Since 2015, DirecTV has offered fan access to two days of video from BlizzCon (Blizzard Entertainment’s convention).
Activision Blizzard has announced ambitious plans: CEO Bobby Kotick has stated that he intends to build the ESPN of eSports, focused on premium content.